Whilst Moondah Brook has been a little lost of late, there remains some surprising jewels within it's forgotten range. Like this Shiraz, a medium bodied Frankland River red that has plenty of the sort of savoury, spicy, black olives and plum fruit...

The wine exhibits deep colour and the primary fruit is dominant. Brambly and quite intense blackberry like aromas precede savoury characters on a rich mouthfilling palate. Quality French oak integrates with spicy notes and smooth tannins to give a...

The driest Riesling in the Bellarmine range, this has lovely crystalline acidity and a purity to it that is really rather beguiling. It's an oddity in the scheme of things though this wine, for Pemberton is better known for it's Pinot and Chardonn...

Easily the most impressive wine in the Nottage Hill range, this marries the sort of smooth affability that you'd expect in the Nottage Hill wines with an extra filip of dry leafiness that is rather welcome. Approachable yet not sickly simple vino.

Semillon Sauvigon Blanc - the blend - is nowhere near as cool as used to be, it's mantle having been taken by Sauvignon Blanc (and particularly Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc). Still, it's a reason that these two were matched up together, with the Sauvignon...

There is no point in dressing this wine up really for it is what it is. That means a simple, fruity, light style of red that is easy to get your head around but hardly super complex. It does provide well enough flavour to do what is required and d...

Did you know that Ninth Island is actually a place? Here at Cracka we always just thought it was some sort of mythical label name in the 'Dog Vineyard Mountain Creek Estate' style. What a surprise to hear it actually exists (it's an island in Tasm...

Mojo is the second label of the South Australian virtual winery Rockbare wines (virtual as they don't actually have a winery, or a vineyard, just a name) whom have a whole plethora of different wines out there to choose from. This generous and bou...

No doubting the appeal with this full bodied Chardonnay, the sort of classically ripe, peachy, golden Chardonnay championed in the Hunter Valley, yet also with the acidity that modern clever Chardonnays from the show. The end result is a lovely fu...

It's an interesting beast is Margaret River Shiraz, the wines built more herbal, more savoury and genuinely less masculine than their equivalents from the warmer Australian wine regions (eg Barossa, Grampians etc). This is actually a rather juicy ...

Sadly there are no camels in Heathcote. In fact, Mount Camel itself is about as far from your typical arid camel habitat as you'll get - rather, it's an extinct volcano that is now more of a giant plug of rich volcanic soils. Volcanic soils that a...

With the move to more shared eating that is pervading our culture it seems only natural to be drinking medium bodied styles that fit in to the European mould and Sangiovese fits that mould perfectly. The McLaren Vale and the Mediterranean have alw...

As the name suggests, this is a very easy sort of 'drinking' wine - a wine of simple flavours, juicy fruits and a hint of sweetness. A wine for drinking out of tumblers on a warm afternoon after digging holes. Easy refreshment.

Peak drinking: Drinking very well upon release and we expect the strong primary fruit focus will diminish over two to three years, however an estimate of long term ageing potential would be premature given our limited experience with the wine styl...

Peak drinking: Drinking well now and will show further integration in 2011. Will reward careful cellaring beyond 2020. Food matches: Slow roasted shoulder of lamb with fresh green beans and redcurrent jelly. Colour: Deep red with violet h...

This wine can be best summed up in two words... Not terrible. Obviously that sounds a little like damning with faint praise, but here us out. To put it bluntly, most budget Pinot Noir is plain awful. It's sickly sweet or dried out and raw, ofte...

In some ways this wine saddens us. Saddens us as so few know how good it is, how generous and tasty and plain fabulous this Margaret River Chardonnay is. Conversely it also makes us happy that no-one knows about this wine, for it keeps the price a...

Do you know what the only criticism of this wine is? That's not exactly Burgundian (ie from Burgundy) in style. As a result if you prefer a more delicate, Pinoty style then look away now, for these aren't the droids you've been looking for. If ...

What makes a wine collectable you ask? Is it the copious show medals that it recieved (more than one or two for this wine)? Is it the rave reviews (ditto)? Or is it just that there isn't much of it (also true)? Regardless, this is pretty clever wi...

This is arguably Australia’s greatest Sauvignon Blanc and Shaw and Smith have consistently managed to re-create it every vintage to show that the Adelaide Hills is one of the best places to grow Sauvignon. It zings with passionfruit and citrus and...